The AJT caught up with Palmer to find out her secrets to successful interior design.

Lisa Palmer has retail stores in Ridgeland and Oxford, Miss.

AJT: How did you begin your career in interior design?

Palmer: I was an art major in school and started out at Ole Miss. They didn’t have a design major, and they didn’t have a program. I didn’t want to be a starving artist, so I transferred to get a degree in interior design.

AJT: Were you predisposed to furniture design as an art major?

Palmer: I didn’t have a huge passion for interior design. It intrigued me, and I was just wise. The passion grew, especially when I started taking fabric classes.

AJT: The fabric classes always do it.

Palmer: Yes, they do. I also had professors who were very passionate and passed that passion on to me. But there’s only so much you can learn in the classroom. I really got to love it when I got out in the business and started using it with people.

AJT: What made you open SummerHouse?

Palmer: When I first opened, it was a boutique showroom, but I found there was a need for soft modern furnishings because everything in Jackson was a little too traditional, and I had to go out of town to places like Atlanta to find the pieces I needed.

AJT: Is there a high demand for good interior designers in Mississippi?

Palmer: We had a fire after three years in business, and I had to salvage everything. Within a week, my two assistants and I were working at my computer in my dining room. I had two attorney friends that said they wanted to be a part of whatever I was doing, and so I designed a new space and built it from scratch. It’s really beautiful, and we’ve been here for 13 years.

I have four designers plus myself. At one time I had eight designers. I have design projects from Houston to Kansas City and a huge social media presence. We opened another location in Oxford, Miss., because it’s a big second-home location with the college there, and it’s only two hours away, so it’s a no-brainer.

AJT: What is your secret to being a successful interior designer, and what do you advise your team of designers to do in order to complete a project successfully?

Palmer: We ask a lot of questions. When the job is complete and we clink the glass, mazel tov, we want our clients to be happy. We have a big interview process. It’s not just about creating a beautiful space because ultimately it’s their home. We ask them, “How do you live?” and “Do you want it light and airy or rich and cozy?”

Palmer: The budget is actually the last thing we ask about. A lot of people don’t know what their budget is, but they know who we are when they come here. They know we have high-end furniture, and they’ve done their research. We try to meet realistic budgets, and we don’t have big trade-show-only showrooms in Jackson, so we work as retail. We also don’t charge for design time.

AJT: What is your personal style as an interior designer?

Palmer: I’m not a super fussy designer. I’m kind of a less-is-more girl. Our lives are busy, and I don’t like to put a lot of things in a home, so editing is important. When I’m done with a home, I stand there and take away things just to make sure all the right things are in the space. I love masculine. Everyone says my favorite color is black, and I also use cream and green. I like the room to have a global feel, and that involves having a mixture of old and new items because it has to look and feel collected.

I also like good art. I always tell young people it’s important to start collecting art that means something to you, not just art that looks good over a sofa. I often start a room with a good piece of art. I also get inspiration from the architecture of the home. I really do like when I’m working with clients and I can give them their vision they’re looking for.

AJT: What was the inspiration behind the playroom at the showhouse?

Palmer: I didn’t want to do it as a playroom, so I did a lounge/reading room. Pantone’s color of the year is fern green, so I went with a palette of green and cream. Of course, I had to add a little black. I knew I wanted to showcase Mississippi artists because we work with these artists all the time. We have a lot of art from Mississippi artists in the showroom.

I also wanted it to be fun, colorful and comfortable. I chose fabrics that were kind of fun and a little modern. You see a combination of traditional pieces mixed with modern pieces, and there’s a global feel.

AJT: What was essential in creating a lounge or reading room?

Palmer: Seating that lends itself to conversation and good lighting. It just needs to feel good and comfortable.

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